The Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce is hoping American flags will not be removed from municipal buildings across the city over concerns that it may do more harm than good.
Mayor Mike Bradley is proposing to remove the flags in response to the ongoing trade war and continued threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to turn Canada into a 51st state.
The chamber sent a letter to the mayor and council for consideration ahead of Monday afternoon's meeting.
"While the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce strongly agrees that we must always advocate vigorously for Canada, our economy, and our citizens, we believe that removing American flags from our public spaces would be an unnecessary and symbolic escalation," read the letter. "Our relationship with the United States extends far beyond any single administration or economic dispute."
Chamber CEO Carrie McEachran told Sarnia News Today that while they appreciate "the spirit behind the proposal," many members are concerned about the symbolism behind this action.
"We have so many businesses here in Sarnia-Lambton that depend on cross-border relationships," she said. "It was felt that removing those flags would cause more damage than anything."
The chamber's letter asks for council to instead explore initiatives to celebrate shared values and history.
"This is a council decision and certainly, council has always been very good at listening to the chamber's points and listen to feedback from the business community," McEachran said.
In the meantime, McEachran said chamber members are still dealing with the uncertainty of how tariffs will impact the local economy.
"Members and businesses are really just waiting to see what happens and putting their plans in place, being very proactive, supporting each other and doing what they can," she said. "The chamber has met with our counterparts in Port Huron, the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce, and certainly we are continuing to work together with our two business communities, supporting each other, and standing in solidarity."
Residents on both sides of the border took part in a flag waving initiative at the Blue Water Bridge this past weekend as a sign of friendship between the two countries.